Anna Hirschfeld
@annahirschfeld.bsky.social
Senior Director at @PublicDigitalHQ Formerly @DWPDigital. Expect a lot of digital transformation, politics and West Wing. She/her.
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
This is not heartwarming. This is eerie and creepy as hell and absolutely a warning
February 9, 2026 at 8:49 AM
This is not heartwarming. This is eerie and creepy as hell and absolutely a warning
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
Great post, well worth a trial and read
New post out:
"The most dangerous man in America"
Understanding "Trump's Prime Minister" Stephen Miller - the nexus of all the streams of right-wing thought and behaviour that embody the current regime.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"The most dangerous man in America"
Understanding "Trump's Prime Minister" Stephen Miller - the nexus of all the streams of right-wing thought and behaviour that embody the current regime.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
The most dangerous man in America
Understanding Stephen Miller: “Trump’s Prime Minister”
open.substack.com
February 4, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Great post, well worth a trial and read
"They all sell out women in the end". Brutal and excellent piece as always!
It’s the Epstein files deja vu: how many more powerful men knew about his crimes, and helped him out anyway? | Marina Hyde
It’s the Epstein files deja vu: how many more powerful men knew about his crimes, and helped him out anyway? | Marina Hyde
I’m sorry, but this is not just a political scandal. Time to refocus on the horrific mistreatment of women and girls, and the role of these ghouls, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com
February 3, 2026 at 5:18 PM
"They all sell out women in the end". Brutal and excellent piece as always!
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
"I’ve not been brave enough to install Clawdbot/Moltbot/OpenClaw myself yet". If even Simon Williamson who is pretty much *the early adopter* since GPT days is hesitating, no normal layperson should even consider doing this. simonwillison.net/2026/jan/30/...
Moltbook is the most interesting place on the internet right now
The hottest project in AI right now is Clawdbot, renamed to Moltbot, renamed to OpenClaw. It’s an open source implementation of the digital personal assistant pattern, built by Peter Steinberger …
simonwillison.net
February 1, 2026 at 4:34 AM
"I’ve not been brave enough to install Clawdbot/Moltbot/OpenClaw myself yet". If even Simon Williamson who is pretty much *the early adopter* since GPT days is hesitating, no normal layperson should even consider doing this. simonwillison.net/2026/jan/30/...
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
Since last year, we’ve been reporting on ICE extensively. But every week brings new information, and it’s getting harder to keep track of what’s happening, let alone remember what’s already happened.
So here’s a quick thread to help.
So here’s a quick thread to help.
January 30, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Since last year, we’ve been reporting on ICE extensively. But every week brings new information, and it’s getting harder to keep track of what’s happening, let alone remember what’s already happened.
So here’s a quick thread to help.
So here’s a quick thread to help.
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
I've written a piece for the @econ-observatory.bsky.social on the history of GDS. Notably, why you need change both top down and bottom up incentives if you're aiming to help a large, federated organisation adopt radical change.
JUST PUBLISHED – The UK government’s digital transformation: how did it come about?
By Tom Loosemore @tomski.com
By Tom Loosemore @tomski.com
The UK government’s digital transformation: how did it come about? - Economics Observatory
GOV.UK is intended to be the single point of online access for UK government information and services. The project leader in the Government Digital Service recounts the transformation in the early…
buff.ly
January 29, 2026 at 1:46 PM
I've written a piece for the @econ-observatory.bsky.social on the history of GDS. Notably, why you need change both top down and bottom up incentives if you're aiming to help a large, federated organisation adopt radical change.
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
Always been the major flaw in this theory. "Anywheres" might be more "cosmpolitan" but they still have a community orienation. I live in a very "anywhere-y" place but there's plenty of school fetes and local book groups.
A thought: what's happening in the US shows that the somewheres/anywheres thing is bollocks. Most of the people mobilising, Goodhart would call Anywheres. And they're mobilising specifically to protect their neighbours and their neighbourhoods.
January 27, 2026 at 4:14 PM
Always been the major flaw in this theory. "Anywheres" might be more "cosmpolitan" but they still have a community orienation. I live in a very "anywhere-y" place but there's plenty of school fetes and local book groups.
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
that Farage and Badenoch want ICE-style action in the UK should be enough to end them
January 24, 2026 at 6:14 PM
that Farage and Badenoch want ICE-style action in the UK should be enough to end them
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
Sadiq Khan says integration matters. But making refugee status temporary "will leave people in a precarious state, suspended in limbo for years, their lives overshadowed with uncertainty”
Doubling how long it takes people to settle "doesn't give people a stake in society, it takes that stake away"
Doubling how long it takes people to settle "doesn't give people a stake in society, it takes that stake away"
January 24, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Sadiq Khan says integration matters. But making refugee status temporary "will leave people in a precarious state, suspended in limbo for years, their lives overshadowed with uncertainty”
Doubling how long it takes people to settle "doesn't give people a stake in society, it takes that stake away"
Doubling how long it takes people to settle "doesn't give people a stake in society, it takes that stake away"
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
Quite glad that the big story in British politics is whether Andy Burnham will apply to stand in a by-election and not people being gunned down by state militias.
Solidarity with Minnesotans resisting this barbarity.
Solidarity with Minnesotans resisting this barbarity.
January 24, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Quite glad that the big story in British politics is whether Andy Burnham will apply to stand in a by-election and not people being gunned down by state militias.
Solidarity with Minnesotans resisting this barbarity.
Solidarity with Minnesotans resisting this barbarity.
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
A big thank you to all our speakers, attendees, and organisers for such an insightful event. More content will be available soon, capturing all the great discussions from today. In the meantime, please do stay in touch, and let's keep the conversation going! #FWD50
January 20, 2026 at 8:03 PM
A big thank you to all our speakers, attendees, and organisers for such an insightful event. More content will be available soon, capturing all the great discussions from today. In the meantime, please do stay in touch, and let's keep the conversation going! #FWD50
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
If you see it you have to stop and watch it.
I don’t make the rules, but when it’s reposting this, I damn well follow them and YOU’D BETTER TOO. youtu.be/jPCJIB1f7jk?...
Lip Sync Battle - Tom Holland
YouTube video by Comedy Central Latinoamérica
youtu.be
January 18, 2026 at 2:47 AM
If you see it you have to stop and watch it.
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
Tech sovereignty should not be a subscription model ft.trib.al/v2MPMD0 | opinion
Tech sovereignty should not be a subscription model
Concern about the loss of jurisdiction and agency to US companies is becoming more pressing for Europeans
ft.trib.al
January 14, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Tech sovereignty should not be a subscription model ft.trib.al/v2MPMD0 | opinion
This is a wonderful, and important piece of writing. As the granddaughter of immigrants I find the current rhetoric horrific and terrifying. This is not the country my grandparents came to and this next stage of fear driven policy making is so disheartening.
Over the weekend the government consultation on earned settlement crossed my feed thanks to @jdportes.bsky.social and @danielsohege.bsky.social. Filling it out made me very sad. So sad that I've written something far too long (as usual) but if you'd like to read them they're here.
What ‘earned settlement’ tells us about belonging, character, and the country we are becoming - bmwelby's blog
Over the weekend I spent some time responding to the Home Office consultation (it closes in mid-February) on proposed changes to settlement and what it calls “earned residence”. I didn’t rush it. I di...
bm.wel.by
January 16, 2026 at 8:51 AM
This is a wonderful, and important piece of writing. As the granddaughter of immigrants I find the current rhetoric horrific and terrifying. This is not the country my grandparents came to and this next stage of fear driven policy making is so disheartening.
Stop scrolling & post two characters who bring you happiness.
January 15, 2026 at 12:38 PM
Stop scrolling & post two characters who bring you happiness.
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
Moving organisations along is hard. I did a talk on it last year and now it's here in blog form.
public.digital/pd-insights/...
public.digital/pd-insights/...
Six levers for creating change in the face of resistance — Public Digital
public.digital
January 14, 2026 at 10:17 AM
Moving organisations along is hard. I did a talk on it last year and now it's here in blog form.
public.digital/pd-insights/...
public.digital/pd-insights/...
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
If you or someone you know can't afford an Internet connection, get in touch with the National Databank. They provide free SIMs for people who are eligible.
https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/our-services/national-databank
https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/our-services/national-databank
What Is The National Databank | Free Mobile Data For Digital Inclusion | Good Things Foundation
Learn about the National Databank, a Good Things’ digital inclusion service that helps people in need access the internet through free mobile data.
www.goodthingsfoundation.org
January 11, 2026 at 3:22 PM
If you or someone you know can't afford an Internet connection, get in touch with the National Databank. They provide free SIMs for people who are eligible.
https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/our-services/national-databank
https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/our-services/national-databank
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
Went to check if this screenshot (posted by @aric.bsky.social) was real (it is) and then made the mistake of also scrolling through Grok's replies on X. Still constantly cranking out sexualised images of young girls. Beyond bleak.
January 5, 2026 at 11:22 AM
Went to check if this screenshot (posted by @aric.bsky.social) was real (it is) and then made the mistake of also scrolling through Grok's replies on X. Still constantly cranking out sexualised images of young girls. Beyond bleak.
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
This person went on a buying spree over the past 24 hours. Fresh wallet. Only existed since Dec 27th and has only bet on Venezuela-related markets.
polymarket.com/@0x31a56e9E6...
polymarket.com/@0x31a56e9E6...
January 3, 2026 at 7:49 AM
This person went on a buying spree over the past 24 hours. Fresh wallet. Only existed since Dec 27th and has only bet on Venezuela-related markets.
polymarket.com/@0x31a56e9E6...
polymarket.com/@0x31a56e9E6...
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
This is true and I was the only one on set excited about it (and playing the song on my phone to blank stares)
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
December 30, 2025 at 4:21 AM
This is true and I was the only one on set excited about it (and playing the song on my phone to blank stares)
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
My final newsletter of 2025: We're in The Enshittifinancial Crisis, the fourth stage of enshittification, where companies turn on their shareholders. Unprofitable, unsustainable AI threatens future of venture capital, private equity and the markets themselves.
www.wheresyoured.at/the-enshitti...
www.wheresyoured.at/the-enshitti...
The Enshittifinancial Crisis
Soundtrack: Lynyrd Skynyrd — Free Bird
This piece is over 19,000 words, and took me a great deal of writing and research. If you liked it, please subscribe to my premium newsletter. It’s $70 a year, ...
www.wheresyoured.at
December 29, 2025 at 5:14 PM
My final newsletter of 2025: We're in The Enshittifinancial Crisis, the fourth stage of enshittification, where companies turn on their shareholders. Unprofitable, unsustainable AI threatens future of venture capital, private equity and the markets themselves.
www.wheresyoured.at/the-enshitti...
www.wheresyoured.at/the-enshitti...
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
AI sloppers (is that a term?) crying that their prompts are being stolen is more beautiful than anything AI could produce
December 28, 2025 at 11:46 PM
AI sloppers (is that a term?) crying that their prompts are being stolen is more beautiful than anything AI could produce
Reposted by Anna Hirschfeld
My colleague @juliacushion.bsky.social made a “sunlight optimism” spreadsheet, my colleague @zarino.co.uk said there should be a postcode lookup version, I have the day off, the kid has gone swimming, and so, I present:
The Sunlight Optimism Calculator: dracos.co.uk/made/sunligh...
The Sunlight Optimism Calculator: dracos.co.uk/made/sunligh...
December 24, 2025 at 12:38 PM
My colleague @juliacushion.bsky.social made a “sunlight optimism” spreadsheet, my colleague @zarino.co.uk said there should be a postcode lookup version, I have the day off, the kid has gone swimming, and so, I present:
The Sunlight Optimism Calculator: dracos.co.uk/made/sunligh...
The Sunlight Optimism Calculator: dracos.co.uk/made/sunligh...